Extension-ladder-assembling machine



Dec. 18, 1928.

' y '1,695,461 J.'E. KALGREN EXTENSION LADDER AssEMBLING MACHINE l FiledJu1y14, 1927 1o sheets-sheet 2 Sirf-l @25:51 Y br @ffgw f mm; i

Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,461

J. E. KALGREN EXTENSIONl LADDER ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed July 14, 192710 Sheets-Sheet 4 EXTENSION LADDER ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed July 14,1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dern 1s, 192s.

Dec. 18, 1928. l

J. E. KALGREN EXTENSION LADDER AssEMBLING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 6Filed IJuly 14, 1927 97 Zi-71.94 708 /f7Z Jb Jb y J. E. KALGRENEXTENSION LADDER AssEMBLING MAGHINE Fixed July 14. 1927 10 Sheets-Shet 7Ja/i lila] /l/llf I J. E. KALGREN EXTENSION LADDER AssENBLING MACHINEIIII Dec. 1s, 192s. 1,695,461 I J. E. KALGREN v EXTENSION LADDERASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Jul 14, 1927 10 Sheets-Sheet 9 MWWQ Dec. 1s,192s.

10 Sheets-Sheet 10 J. EL KALGREN EXTENSION LADDER ASSEMBLING MACHINEFlled July 14 1927 Figs. 1 .a-nd 2 are views in side' elevation lshowing` the head and rear sections ot the ma Y Patented Dec. 18,1928.v

UNITED sfr-Ares jaoHN n. KALGREN, or MINNEAPOMS, MINNESOTA, AssIeNoa ToQT. RQOLARN corn Y YPANY, or MINNEAPOLIS, ALiynNisrasOrrA, AcorteonAfrieN'or 4Mi'NNNsorA.

EX'riiNsION-LADDER-AssnMBLrNe MACHINE.

Application filed July 14,

v My invention has for itsgobj ect to provide highly efficient extensionladder assembling machine, and to this end it consists oli' the noveldevices andcombinations of devices hereinafter described andA defined inthe claims.v f f In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate theinvention, like characters yindi-y cateV like `parts throughout heseveral views.

Reierring to the drawings:

chine, respectively; c y

Figs. 3, et and 5 are ragmentaryplan views showing lthe rear,intermediate and head sections of the machine, respectively; A j

1 Fig. 6 is a view partly in end elevation and partly Vin transversevertical section taken on the irregular line 6-6 of Fig-2, on anenlarged scale ;V Y Y Fig. 7 is a view partly in` elevationand partly intransverse vertical section taken en lthe line 7- 7 of Fig. 1, on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a view partlyin rear end elevation and partly in transversevertical section taken on the line 8 8y of Figi 2, on an 'enlargedscale, some parts beingbrolen away and other parts .shownj bymeansotbroken lines;v i i Fig. r9 is a fragmentary plan view of thecross-heads and eccentric connections shown in Fig. 8 at theheadysection O'I'themaChine; Fig'. 10 is fragmentary sideelevation ot then'iacliine at the head section as shown in Fig. 1v, on an eiil'argedscale I ,i Fig. 11 is aragmentarydetail viewwith some partssectioned onthe line 11j-110i'v Fig. t, on an enlarged scale;

,Figa V12Ais a fragmentary detail view with some parts sectioned von theline 12,-12 of 4; Y Fig. 13 is a plan view showing the manual controlJorthe centering javsand the antomaticclutch. release mechanism; y l f IFig'. 14 is a detail view with some partssectioned on the line14-'1tof'Fig- 13 Fig-15 is adetail view. with somepai'ts sectionedon'the'line 'l5-15 otFig. 13;

Fig. 16, is a view .principallyin diagram showing theright-hand pair ofjaws as shown infFig. 8, released; u 'A I i.

1'? isairagmentary plan viewci one of the sqeezinp; abutments;

Figs. 18, 19 and 2O areplan yiews showingl 192/7. l. serial No. 295,828.

diiierent types oit .ladder ,f sections .assembled on the'inachine; F 21is a detail view with 23423 ot 'saidiigfure The 'trame ofthe machineincludes heavy cast head, rear, Vand intermediate pedestals 23,24 and25, respectively, rigidly connected. at theirl bases'byacentralilongitudinally ex`` tended I-beam 2 6 and .at their top portionsby a pair of laterally spaced sideloiigegitudihv nally exten dedII-beams 27. Said rameitur- HCE D some partssec-'K ticnedontheline21"-21 otFg.18on an 25 's a. view of the ladder shownin 'Fig'. 3, withsome parts'sectloned on the line ther includes `heavy castskeleton Crossvtie members 28 rand29 supportedonthe I-jbeams 27and rigidly connect thesame. 4As shown,

there are two cross tie members 29 and they f are substantially like thecross tie. members ing gear. cases 30 formed therewith midway betweenthe I-beams2.k Each cross tie memy28 with the exceptionthat they havedepend- 'i ber28rv29 has formedr therewith,v at its end portions, ways31on whichapair of cross@` Y heads 32 are slidably mounted for movementtoward or from each other, transversely of the machin f f The crossheads32 on each sidentthe machine are rigidly'V connected for common slid- Ying' movement by a longitudinally extended sill BS'in the form ofaninverted channel '100 'i `rlheeccentric shattl is driven from anelectric motor 39 mounted on the I-beam 26 at the rear oi the `machineand hasa rela-v tively small pulleyO on its armature shaft aligned witha relatively large pulleyy 41- leose on ashort traiisi'ierse shaft L12journaled mbearingson a gear `case 13 formed with.

the vinternnediete pedestal A belt runs; I

over the pulleys 40 and 4l. To connect t-he pulley 41 to the shaft 42there is provided a yieldinvl'y set clutch 45, such as the Fordson type,iagraminatically illustrated in Fig. 7. Keyed tothe shaft 42, Within thegear case 43. is a worm 46 which meshes with a worm gear 47 keyed to acounter-shaft`48. This counter-shaft 48 extends parallel to and underthe shai't 42 and is jo'urnaled in the gear cases 30 and 43 and inbearing brackets 49 on the I-beains 26. Keyed to the counter-shaft 48,Withineach gear case 30, is a relatively small gear 5() which meshesWith a relatively large gea-r 5l keyed to the eccentric sha1-it 34.Obviously, through tlie above described driving connections from themotor 39, the tvvo sets of cross-heads 32, one on each side of themachine, are `irst moved toward each other and then from each other onceduring each rotation of the shaft 34 by its eccentrics 35. i

Automatic means manually set in motion, as Will presently appear, areprovided for releasing the clutch and holding the same e released tocause the eccentric shaft 34 to make one complete rotation and thenstop. This automatic means includes a substantially L-shaped lever 52intermediately pivoted at 53 to a depending bracket on the under sideofthe gear case 43 with its short arm extended upward into engagementwith the clutch 45 and with its long arm extending horizontally undersaid gearcase. A vertically movable plunger 54 is slidably l mounted atits intermedia-te portion in a relatively long hearing 55 on the gearcase 43, and its lower end is normally held in con-tact with the longarm of the lever 52 by 'a coiled spring 56. This spring 56 encircles theplunger 54 and is compressed between the bearing 55 and an adjustableabutment 57 in the form of a nut on the lower end portion of saidplunger. The tension of the spring 56 is such as to overcome the spring.not shown, in the clutch 45 and holds the lever 52 in a position torelease the clutch 45 so that the pulley 41 is normally loose on theshaft 42.

To manually lift the plunger `54 against the tension of the spring 56and thereby release the lever 52 andperlnit the clutch 45 to set, thereis provided a foot treadle 58 intermediately fulcrumed at 59 on the I-beams 26, with its short end engaging the long arm of the lever at itsunder side so as to lift said arm at the time the lever 52 is operatedby the foot treadle 58 which ex tends transversely of the machine.

To automatically lock thepl'unger 54 in an inoperative position at thetime the same is raised by the foot treadle 58, there is provided alatch plate 60 slidably mounted in a easing 61 on the gear case 43. Thislatch plate 60 is yieldingly projected by a spring 62 compressed betweenthe rear end ot said latch plate and the back of the casing 61 and isprovided with a round transverse aperture 63 adapted to receive acylindrical head 64 on the upper end of the plunger 54 when the lock`plate 6() is retracted and thus hold the same, as shown in Fig. 15. Thelatch plate 60 is also provided'withia notch 65 which extends rearwardfrom its aperture 63 to receive a reduced hub portion 6601i the lowerend of thehead 64 at the time the plunger 54 is lifted to preventprojecting movement of thel .latch plate 66. At the time the plunger V54is lifted by the foot treadle '58, the vlatch plate 60 is moved by thespring 62 under the head 64 and thereby supports the saine and holds theplunger 54 raised against the Yaction of the spring 56 after thepressure on the foot treadle 58 has been rel leased. Vith the plunger 54thus held, the

leverl 52 is released from the action thereof so that the clutch 45 mayset; To trip the latch plate 60 out of action and thereby release theplunger54 and permit the same to operate the lever 52 and release theclutch 45 onceeach half rotation 68 are so arranged that rotation of theshaft 34 is stopped with the eccentrics liolding the crossheads 32 ineither of their two extreine positions.

To manual-ly retract the latch plate 60 and thereby release the lunger54 to permit the sameto automatica ly operate the lever 52 A and releasethe clutch 45 in case ot an einergency, there is provided a lhand lever69 piv oted at 70 to one of theI-beains 27 and attached to the rear endof said latch plate by an eye-equipped stem 71. The shape of the eye inthe stem 71 is such as to permit free movement of the' latch plate 60 inone direction by the spring 62 and in the other direction by the lugs 68Without moving the lever 69. Y

Mounted oneach sill 33 isa plurality of fixed bases 72 spacedlongitudinally of the machine and having Ways 7301i which squeezingabutn'ients 74 are slidably mounted. These bases 72 are so arranged thatthe bases 72 on one of the sills 33 are directly opposite the bases 72on. the other sill and the ways 73 of each pair are aligned. By thusarranging the bases 72, the squeezing abutments 74 are positioned inco-operating pairs ywith vthe abutments of each pair on opposite sidesof the machine. The opposing taces'of each pair of squeezing abntments74 are trans verselycrowncdat.

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iso.

Each squeezing abutment=74 issecuredv to its base 7 2 for movement onits way 7 3 transversely of the :machine and toward and from the othersqueezingabutment 74otfthe respective pair 'by a long transverse screwrod 7 6; vThese screw rods 76 are turnably mounted in bearings 77 vonthe under sides of the bases 7 2 andare heldagainstendwise movenientbyopposing collars78 on said `rodsland l.

engage opposite ends/of the bearings 77. *The ment with dependingnut-acting members 79 on the squeezingabutments 74. "Theouterendsfolithe screw rods 78 are'la-ttened for the application otawrench bywhich said rods maybe turned. j. l. l.

The screw rods. 7 6 ot each pair arehaxially aligned, `have rightandleit-hand threads `and are connected orfcommon rotation but lwithfreedom for endwise movement i-n respectto each other by couplinglsleeves i 80 telescoped onto' untlireadedinner end portions ,otsaidrodsand held 1for .rotation with ysaidfscrew rodsby pins 81 which work inlongitudinally extended slots 824 in said sleeves. Th'e 'purposeof thesleeves-.80 is to rpermit anyone I pair of screw .rods 76 tobe,simultaneously'adjusted from eithery side ot.themachinefand impartreverse-movements v-to, the respective pair of squeezingabutments sothat they may be adjusted different distances apart, toil'apurposethatwill presently appear.

The upper surfaces ofthe bases72, at the `opposing'faces ot thesqueezingabutments 7 4,

afford supportsf83 fora pair of ladder side bars A. Oni the innerends ofeachpair of bases 72 is a Vpair -otyup'standing rung-sup ports 84hai/'iner reversely extended base porytions that are slidably mounted inseats inthe bases 7 2 vand secured thereto ttorV adjustments Atowardandlrom each other by set screws 85,

whichextend through slots inl said base porj tiene. In the upper endsofthe rung'supports84 are V-shaped rrungseafts 86,. It may be herestated that the ladder sideb'aisy A are bored to form seatsB in their ,oosine'faces.

Jior the reduced end portions Cof -rungs D, as best shown in Figs. 8,16,v 17 and 21. Y

To longitudinally position'ladderside bars A for the longestladderf,-tor which thepresent machine is adaptedvto assemblav-on thesupports 83 with their rung seats B inthe same vertical planes with therung seats 86 in thea'ung supports k84, there is provided permanentstops 87, .secured to the rear end of the sills 33. For similarlypositioning ladder side bars A for shorter length ladders,-adjust ablestops are provided, in the ormof hori.

zontal inwardly proj ecting'pins 88 `adapted to be removably mounted inboreilike seats 89 ormedin certainV of the pairs ,of squeezingabutment-s 74, seeFigsf4, 10 and 12. These stop pins 88 are removablyheldin their seats 89 by spring pressed frictionk balls 90 that extend'into shallow circumferentially ex- 1 Fig; 12)'. r screw rods 7 6 havescrew-threaded:engage j.

Ytended grooves 91formed in said pins. The balls are mounted in verticalbores in the respective squeezing abutments .74, `normally j closed-byscrew; plugs' 92. it will be noted Ithat the bottoms ofthe boresfinlwhich the balls `90are .mounted-are contracted at their lower ends so'as'to prevent saidballsir'om ,droppingout of said bores at the timetliestop pins88 are removed therefroinjytsee To' center orl seats B in theladder side bars A, longi'tudt` nally positioned by; either the stops87, 'as i shown in lig.'3or the stopipins 88, as shown in Figs. 4 and12, there is'provided a plurality or upper and lower jaws 93 and 94,respectively, Varranged in; cooperating pairs.

These jaws 93and 94 are attached by shoul lde redeccentric bolts 95tocertain of the ksqueezing abutments 74 and Aproject hori-v zontally.inw-ard therefrom; fflhe linnerfend portions of the jaws 93 and 94 ofeach pair are "jeurved toward each otherand thelower jaws .94 fare.arrangedto'swing. fromfinoperative vpositions below thev 'ladder' side"bargsupports f 83to positions above*V the same. The .vupper f1 jaws,931hav'e longitudinal slotsf96 through f apport-said jaws'for-compoundpivotal and {bodily' endwise nioveinentso that they will vmove frominoperative positionsy in which .they extendiabove the respectivesqueezing abutments 74 and outwardV otV thefcrowned w ich the respectivepivot bolts 95 extendand :tac-'es 75 thereoiI into positions in whichtheir tree ends overlie fthe ladder side bar supports f @3fm-Fiati3. 5 Y

i To .simultaneously operate'all ofthe pairs .of j aws 93-`94 on oneVside of themachine and impart reverse movements to the jaws ot each yofsaid pairs,tliere.is provideda jointed rock sl1ai"t,'the sections 97oit' which have their ends mounted in cylindrical coupling members 98 p.rotatably mounted .invv .thea squeezing! f abutinents 74 to which saidjaws areattaelred. .It

.will be noted by reference toFigs. 8, 4 and 5, that the two pairsjofjaws93-k-94, on opposite squeezing,` abutments 74, are mountedr onopposite sides thereof. "It, will- 'bealso be notedthat theA couplingmembers 98-areeX- tended 'outward .ronithe respectivey.squeezingabutments 7 4 fto which the pairs of jaws 93-94 are pivotedto aiiord hubs 99. Each hub 99 is provided with a pair ofdametri- Thesides ofthe seats 104 are convex in form to hold the shaft sections 97With freedom Vfor angular movement in respect to the coulvidedahorizontal hand lever 105 pivoted at 106 to one of the squeezingabutments 74 and having a bell-crank extension 107 flexibly connected toa crank arm 108 on one section 97 of the rock shaft. Said flexibleconnection between the extension 107 and the crank arm 108is in the formof a ball 109 on said-arm and a slot 110 in said extension in which saidball fits for universal movement (see Fig. `13). Eachlever 105 is lockedwith the respective pairs "of jaws 93 and 94, either in their open orclosed positions, by a gravity held hand lever 111 pivoted to therespective squeezing abutments 74 and having a multiplicity oflongitudinally spaced ratchet teeth 112 arranged to interlock with alock lug 113 on the lever 105. y

As is Well known, the lower section of an extension ladder is providedWith a pair of rollers E mounted on brackets F secured to the side barsA thereof by rivets G and on which the sidebars A of an upper laddersecing members H pivoted at l to the side bars (lll) A iof said section,`and which hooks are ari ranged to engage any one of the rungs D on thelower ladder section `to support said upper section therefrom. v y

To upset or head the rivets G at the time the ladder bars A are heldclamped by the squeezing abutinents 74, the pair of squeezing abutments74 at the head of the machine is provided with a pair of anvilextensions 114, the'faces of which are flush with the faces of therespective squeezing abutments 74 (see Fig. 5). The second pair ofsqueezing valmtments 74 from the rear end of the Inachine is used asanvils for upsetting or headi lneen-w1 A are in converging relation and`have a constant taper, as shown in Fig. 19, or in whichV the side barsA are in converging relation at the lower portion of the ladder sectionand are parallelat the upper portion of said sectionfas shown in Fig.20. In fact the ma- 4chine may be adjusted to assemble a ladder sectionin which thev sidebars A thereof may `be in various different relations.

In case it is necessary to separate the side barsA from the rnngs I)because of a defect in any part of the ladder section being assembled,or for any other reason, there are provided on each side ofthe machine aplurality of secondary abutments 115 in the form of hand levers whichextend transversely of the machine and are intermediately pivoted at 116to certain of the squeezing abutments 74 (see Figs. 3, 4 and 8). Theinner or long 'ends of the secondary abutments 115 are in squeezingjabutments 74 and thereby causeV the side bars A to engage saidsecondary abutments and be carried thereby laterally outward With thesqueezing abutments 74 and stripped from saidrungs.

By positioning all of the secondary abutments 115 in operativepositions, the entire ladder section may be disassembled or any part ofthe laddersection may be disassembled by operating only `certain of thesecondary abutments 115, for instance, when it is necessary to removeonly a single rung.

The operation of the extension ladder assembling machine may be brieflydescribed as follows: v

It may be assumed that there is an attend` ant on each side `of themachine and that the motor 39 is driving the pulley 41, which isnormally looseon the shaft 42, so that the driving con-nectionsto theeccentric shaft 34 are idle. It also may be assumed that the two rows ofcrosshewds 32 are: separate and hence the squeezing abutments 74 areopen as Welles the jaws 93 and 94. It is, of course, understood that thesqueezing abutments 74 of each pair are properly spaced for the type ofladder to be assembled in the machine.

The attendants first place a pair of ladder side bars A, that have beenbored to form the rung seats B, on the supports 83 with the outer facesof said bars against the crowned fares 75 o'fsaid squeezing abutments,thus bringing the rung seats lf m said exile bars with the rungsupports, andautomatic means for lifting said bars from their supportsand transversely positioning the same with their run `seats aligned withthe rung supports in t e other direction. l

3. In an extension ladder assembling machine, two rows of squeezingabutments, op-

erating means for moving at least one row of said abutme'nts alternatelytoward and from the other row thereof,`rung supports between the tworows of squeezing abutments,y

tao-operating pairs of jaws for automatically transversely positioning apair of ladder side bars in respect to the rung supports, and operatingmeans for the jaws.

4. In an extension ladder assembling machine, two rows of squeezingabutments, operatin means for movinr Aat least one row of saida utmentsalternately toward andV from the other row thereof, rung supportsbetween the two rows of squeezing abutments, ladderside bar supports atthe opposing faces of said abutments, co-operating pairs ofjaws arrangedto lift ladder side lhars from said supports and automaticallytransversely position the same in respect to the rung supports, andoperating Ameans for the jaws.

5. In an extension ladder assembling machine, two rows of squeezingabutmentsop erating means for moving at least one row of said abutmentsalternatelyv toward and from chine, two rows of squeezing abutments, op`eratin means for moving at least one row'of, said a utments alternatelytoward and fromV the other row thereof, rung supports between the tworows of squeezing abutments, co-operating pairs of aws for automaticalltransversely` positioning a pair of ladder side bars in respect to therung supports, and movable secondary abutments arranged to be set in po`sition to be engaged by ladder side bars held by said jaws and separatesaid bars by a movement of one row of saidabutments away from the otherrow thereof.

i 7. In an extension ladder assembling machine, two rows ofbasesarranged in opposite pairs, squeezing abutments mounted on said bases,yrung supports betweensaid two rows of squeezing abutments, means forindivid-A ually adjusting each pair of co-operating squeezing abutmentsto set the same different distances apart, and means for moving at leastone row of said bases Aalteruately toward or `from the other rowthereof.

`8. The structure defined inclaim 6 in which the operating means forsaid pairs of abut-` ments may be manipulated from either side of themachine. Y j

9. In an extension ladder assembling 1nachine, two rows of squeezingabutments, operatin means for moving atleast one row of said a )utments`alternately,toward and from` `the other row thereof, rung supportsbetween the two rows of squeezing abutmeuts, eo-op- A erating pairs ofpivoted jaws for automatically transversely positioning a pair of ladderside bars in respect tothe rung supports, and `cranloacting means forimparting re` verse movements to the jaws of each pair.

10. yThe structure defined in claim 8 in which the jaws of` each pairare individually mountedon eccentric ivot studs.

1l. `The structure etined in claim 6` in further combination withcio-operating pairs of jaws forautomatically transversely posi,-

to the rung supports, and openating means for simultaneously operatingthe pairsliof jaws at each side of the machine and forvv impartingreverse movements to the jaws of4 each pair including flexibly connectedshaftsectionsh A .Y j

12. In an extension ladder` assembling 1na chine, two rows of squeezingabutments, oper-` ative means for movingfat least one row of saidabutments alternatelyttoward and from the other row thereof, Vladdersidebar sup-` ports at the opposing `faces of said .abutments, rungsupportsbetween said ladder side bar supports, upper and lower pairs ofjaws arranged in co-op'erating pairsgfor automatiV i cally transverselypositioninga :pair of ladder side bars onthe supportstherefor in respectto the run supports, said upper jaws being mounted or compound pivotaland bodily shiftingl movements in respect to the supportsfor the ladderlside bars, and means for simultaneously operating the pairsiof jaws. ateach side of the machine and imparting A reverse movementsito jaws ofeach pair.`

13, Inan extension ladder assemblin machine, a pair of longitudinally`extend crossheads supporting atjleast one of said sills for lateral4movement toward and from Vthe other thereof, a driven shaft,connections including eccentrics on said shaft for opersills,

tioning a pair offladder sideibars in respect Y ating the crossheads,opposite pairs of bases Y mounted` on the sills, cooperating pairs ofsqueezing abutments mountedlon the bases,

rung su ports betweenthesqueezing abut-` ments o `said pairs, and Vmeansforindividually `adjusting each pair of co-operating squeezin abutmeutsto set `the same different` distances apart. Y i

`1t. Inau extensmnladder assembling machine, two squeezing abutmentsoperating means for moving atfleastone of said abutmentsalternatelytowardV and from the other thereof, a rnng'support betweenthe ahnt#l f mentsgvand operating means having members `forautomatically transversely centering a bars in respeotjto-thernng whichthe vabutments kare crowned llongitndinally in respect t0 theladder sidebars and in which the 'verteXcs of the crowns are aligned with the rungsupport.

16. In an` extension ladder assembling machine, two squeezing abutments,operating p means for. moving at least one of said abut-V ments towardand from the other thereof, a rung support between the abutments, meansfor longitudinally positioning a lpair oi? ladder side bars having apair oivrung seats t0 .align said yseats in one direction with the yrungsupport, and automatic meansfor transi versely positioningfthe ladderside bare vkto align the rung kseats in the other with the rung support.p

i In testimony whereof I affix my signature,l JOHN E. KALGREN.- v

kdirection

